NATIONAL CHILD REGISTER TO ADRESS SHORTFALLS

29/02/2012

In its efforts to streamline child welfare services, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation has established a National Child Register recording information on all the child welfare cases referred under the Child Welfare Decree.

Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation permanent secretary Mr Govind Sami said this register will be managed by the child welfare unit in social welfare and has been developed in response to mandatory reporting under the Child Welfare Decree.

“The objectives of the Child Welfare Decree 2010 are to ensure mandatory reporting of cases of breach of safety, and to promote welfare of children by medical professionals, police officers, legal officers and social welfare officers to relevant authorities. It is mandatory under the Child Welfare Decree, that all child welfare cases are reported to the Permanent Secretary for Social Welfare”, Mr Sami said.

“The National Child Register has been established in response to this mandatory reporting and to assist the ministry in identifying the trend and formulating relevant policy changes in line with recent developments in child care and protection”.

He said the register captures on the priority areas and gaps that needs to be addressed in child care.

“The register reveals that this year a total of 55 child abuse and neglect cases have been reported under child welfare decree, of this 46 cases were reported in January and 9 cases in February. A total of 101 child abuse and neglect cases were referred under the child welfare decree last year,” Mr Sami said.

He said a standardised form for Child Welfare Decree Case Referrals (CWD Forms) is available on the Ministry’s official website: www.social-welfare.gov.fj <http://www.social-welfare.gov.fj/> .